Ex-Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani, 3 other top BJP leaders opt out of Assembly polls

Former Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani and ex-deputy CM Nitin Patel, were among four senior leaders of the ruling BJP in Gujarat, who have decided not to contest the assembly elections scheduled for next month.

Making an announcement in this regard on Wednesday night (November 9), Rupani said he has taken his decision to make way for new workers.

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Two other senior BJP leaders, Bhupendrasinh Chudasama and Pradeepsinh Jadeja – who were ministers in the Rupani cabinet — also announced they will not seek tickets for the polls to be held on December 1 and 5.

Their statements come at a time when the central Parliament Board of BJP has convened the meeting to finalise the names of candidates in Delhi under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“These four senior leaders of our party have written separate letters to state unit party president C R Paatil, saying they do not want to fight the upcoming elections,” Gujarat BJP spokesperson Yamal Vyas said.

“I have decided not to fight elections this time. The BJP gave me chance to be the chief minister of Gujarat for five years. Now they have made me in-charge of Punjab and as a senior leader, I have declared earlier that I will not fight this election. I have not even demanded ticket,” Rupani told reporters.

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Rupani, 66, a sitting MLA from Rajkot West, was the chief minister from August 2016 to September 2021. He and his entire Council of Ministers were replaced by the BJP in September 2021.

Patel, in a hand written letter to Paatil, has said he should not be considered for ticket to contest the Mehsana Assembly seat, currently represented by him, as he has decided not to fight the upcoming elections.

“I have decided not to fight elections. I have been elected as an MLA for six times from Kadi and Mehsana seats,” the former deputy CM told reporters later.

Chudasama, the MLA from Dholka, said the party has given tickets to him nine times.

“Out of the nine times I won five times and was made a cabinet minister. Now enough is enough, I had earlier told the party that I will not fight the next elections,” he said. Jadeja, in a letter to Paatil, said he, too, in not interested in contesting Assembly polls. “I will do whatever work the party assigns to me,” he said.

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The MLA from Vatva in Ahmedabad was home minister in the BJP government led by Rupani.

Elections will be held in Gujarat on December 1 and December 5 for 89 and 93 assembly constituencies respectively. The votes will be counted on December 8.

(With inputs from agencies)